From Formation to Flourishing
In 2019, the Eurasia Missions Base was birthed out of a dream the Lord gave to the President of MAPS Global. Just as a Banyan tree begins as a seed that must be dropped from above and land on another branch to survive, the Eurasia Missions Base began as a seed from above. This is a story about how it has germinated, taken root, and thrived. In the dream, the Lord was inviting R.A. Martinez to build the House of Prayer in the region. Through his “yes” the Lord would plant a seed that would become the Eurasia Missions Base. This seed would grow and spread throughout the region just like the Banyan tree, which has aerial roots that grow down from its branches and eventually take root in the soil, forming many new trunks.
In 2020, the base was just beginning to germinate and take root when COVID-19 swept through the country. Hazel, the base’s current director, had joined this same year as a young missionary filled with excitement and expectancy. However, amidst shutdowns and low indigenous involvement, the team of missionaries were plunged into additional grief as they faced the loss of their friend and fellow missionary to cancer in 2021. In remembering these days, Hazel recalled how the churches across the region came together. During the COVID shutdowns, they formed a prayer chain to cover the region in prayer and worship 24/7. The prayer and worship being lifted up to the heavens would soon find its roots in the land, forming many new trunks.
Distress and despair began to be replaced by hope and healing for both Hazel and her team as the Holy Spirit answered the persistent prayers of the Eurasia Missions Base. New indigenous believers began to show up at the base. One man testified that Jesus showed up to him in person while he was sitting on a bench, said “Follow me,” and led him to the Eurasia Missions Base, where he gave his life to Jesus. The House of Prayer at the Eurasia Missions Base also began to see more indigenous involvement, growing from one new believer to sometimes 15 in the little prayer room. In 2021, the base launched a ministry training program to train indigenous believers to share the Gospel and steward the presence of the Lord in prayer and worship.
Since then, indigenous students have graduated and become pastors, associate pastors, worship leaders, church planters, House of Prayer leaders and missionaries to their own country. The tree roots have spread, multiplied, and become deeply embedded in the soil of the region. In 2023, when an earthquake rocked a part of the region, indigenous believers at the Eurasia Missions Base even lent their strength to others. They gathered a team and brought food, clothes, supplies and Bibles to those affected. Today, statistics show that there has been measurable growth in the number of believers in this region.
“So many of the surrounding nations…watch and pay attention to how this nation responds to current events in the world,” said Hazel. “We have the unique position as a gateway to the world, [between the West and the East], … to be the ones who are preaching, praying, singing and sending.” The Eurasia Missions Base went from a seedling to a full-grown tree, from a dream to a reality, and from a time of despair to a time of hope and joy. Thus, just as the ancient Banyan tree continues to grow laterally indefinitely, the Eurasia Missions Base continues to spread out roots and grow.
This year, the number of missionaries on their team has doubled, salvations have multiplied, and discipleship has increased. As the trunks have spread across the region, the nation now has more indigenous worship and leadership than ever before in recorded history! Just as the ancient Banyan tree continues to grow laterally indefinitely, the Eurasia Missions Base continues to spread out roots and bring growth and life to the nation and the region.